Apparatus for washing automobiles



April 1 1924.

T. F. MANNIX APPARATUS FOR WASHING AUTOMOBILES Filed Jan. 31,. 1922 5 7 INVENTOR 8 w I- Q q, I

i atented Apr. l, 5924.

Q A E if.

TIMOTHY r. MANNIX, or mean; rank, new roan.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING- AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed January 31, 1922. Serial No. 533,017.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY F. MAN IX,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Floral Park, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Washing Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

In the washing of automobiles in large garages certain parts of the operation are customarily performed by the use of a bucket containing soap and water, and into which a sponge may be dipped. Trouble, delay and unsatisfactory work often results from the use of an ordinary pail or bucket for this purpose. The main object of my invention is to provide a special construction by means of which time may be saved, trouble avoided, and more satisfactory results accomplished, and which atthe same time is easy to manufacture and keep in proper working condition. r

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, although it will of course be evident that changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the scope of my invention. In these drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view, a portion of the wall of the bucket being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section,

Fig. 3 is a section showing the parts in partially inverted position, and

Figs. 4- and 5 are sectional details.

My improved apparatus includes, or is attached to, an ordinary metal bucket or pail having a slightly tapered wall 10, a beaded upper edge 11, and a bale 12 secured to ears 13, or in any other suitable manner. So far as concerns the main features of myinvention this pail may be of any ordinary type of construction, such as is now used on the market, except that the upper edge shall be designed or adapted for the attachment of the screen supports. As shown there is provided an annular reinforcing wire 14: around which the metal of the wall 10 is folded, and lying outside of the plane of the wall so as to present a ridge, flange or head, on the outer surface at the upper edge, as shown particularly in Fig. 4.

Within the bucket there is provided a circular reticulated or foraminous diaphragm or partition 15 preferably in the form of a wire mesh screen. I do not wish to be limited to any particular size of mesh, but it substantial rigidity.

should be sufficiently coarse to permit the free passage downwardly therethrough of any particles of sand or dirt which are introduced into the pail or the water above the screen, and to prevent the sponge from passing downwardly therethrough or the soap upwardly therethrough. It should also be of such mesh as will not materially interfere with a free circulation of the water in the pail as'asponge is introduced and withdrawn. The wires forming the mesh should be of sufficient stiffness to give the screen The wiresv may be spaced about one-half of an inch apart. The screen includes a peripheral reinforcing or. frame member 16 in the form of a comparativelystiff wire bent to circular form,

and the peripheral edge of the screen is bent around this frame member, as shown particularlyin Fig. 5, or is soldered thereto or permanently attached in anysuitable manner. The diameter of the screen is of approximately the internal diameter of the pail at a point a very few inches above the bottom of the pail. It is not intended that the screen shall make a close friction fit at this point, as slight lateral movement is not materially objectionable. It should be of such size that it may be lowered to the proper position without danger of binding in spite of slight inaccuracies or crudity in manufacture or assembly.

The screen is supported by three supporting rods 17 adapted to lie closely adjacent to the inner surface of the wall 10 and extending upwardly along said surface from the periphery .of the screen to the upper edge of the pail. These supports are preferably in the form of comparatively stiff wires or rods with their lower ends curved inwardly to form loops or eyelets 19 completely encircling the beaded edge of I the pail, and extending through a small aperture therein, as shown particularly in Fig. 4. One or more of the other supports are provided with hook shaped end portions Which may be snapped over the upper edge and frictionally retained in place. These hooks may be lifted off the edge by applying suliicient pressure, and the screen may then be lifted out of the bucket, although remaining attached by one of the supports through the medium of the eyelet 19, if desired. This permits the pail to be freely washed out and clean soap inserted beneath the screen. The frictional engagement of the hooked portions 20 is such that the pail may be inverted, as shown in Fig. 8, without liability of the screen being displaced. Furthermore, when inverted the screen holds the soap in place.

By means of my improved construction it will be noted that if the pail be accidentally tipped over the soap will not be spilled out or the screen displaced. If a dirt covered sponge be dropped into the Water the dirt may fall through the screen. It is immaterial that some of this lands on the soap, as the soap and sponge are always separated by the screen, and the dirt cannot be wiped off the soap or off the bottom of the pail by the sponge when the screen is in place. Upon inverting the pail the dirt may flow out with the water, while the soap remains, and the pail may be rinsed out by inducing fresh water, agitating, and again dumping while the soap still keeps its position. The presence of the screen and its supports in the bucket does not prevent the bucket from being used for ordinary purposes, such for instance as filling the automobile radiator, assuming of course that the sponge and soap be removed.

I have previously referred to the use of my improved device for the washing of auto-- mobiles. It will of course be evident that the device may be used for washing any other object or article, and that a wash rag or brush may be employed instead of a sponge, and depending upon the character of the article to be washed and the dirt or other foreign matter to be removed. The soap employed may of course vary with the character of the article being washed, and in some cases may be entirely omitted, as it forms no portion of the construction. The device has material advantages, even though no soap is employed, as it keeps the sponge from coming in contact with the dirt on the bottom of the pail, and the screen cannot be displaced if the pail be tipped over. It can be easily removed when desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In combination, a pail having a beaded edge around the open top thereof, a circular Wire screen of a diameter approximately equal to that of the interior of the pail at a point spaced a short distance above the bottom and adapted to support a sponge and retain soap therebeneath, and a plurality of supporting members hinged to the peripheral portion of the screen and extending upwardly along the inner surface of the wall of the pail, the upper end of at least one of said members encircling and permanently secured to said beaded edge and the upper end of one or more of the other of said members receiving and being detachably secured to said beaded edge, whereby said screen is secured to the pail and upon inverting the pail, is removably retained in position.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 30th day of January A. D. 1922.

TIMOTHY F. MANNIX. 

